Lawyer Bio

Raymond A. Pelletier serves clients in the firm’s Real Estate, Timberlands, Telecommunications, Maritime and International Trades & Transactions practice groups. Ray joined Verrill Dana in 1988. From 1993 to 1996 he served as in-house Real Estate Counsel for Hannaford Bros. Co., a major supermarket chain, before returning to Verrill Dana. Ray has been recognized as one of Maine's leading real estate attorneys by several third-party attorney ranking organizations.

Real Estate

As a member of the firm’s Real Estate Group, Ray’s practice focuses on all aspects of commercial development, including site acquisition and leasing, governmental licensing and permitting, construction and financing. Ray’s work has included the acquisition and development of supermarket, shopping center, medical, housing and other projects, as well as divestiture, site acquisition and development work for electrical utility and telecommunications clients.

Timberlands

Ray has represented clients in the timber and forest products industry in a wide variety of matters, including purchases and sales involving hundreds of thousands of acres, complex partitions and land trades, agreements relating to the exploration and extraction of mineral rights, and the negotiation of management, harvesting, wood supply and other operational contracts.

Telecommunications

Since the late 1990’s, Ray has played a leading role in telecommunications site development in the State of Maine. He has provided real estate and zoning advice in the build out and reconfiguration of hundreds of telecommunications sites in every part of the State, including the development of towers, rooftop and stealth installations.

Maritime

During his Coast Guard career, Ray performed legal work in support of the Marine Safety and Environmental Protection programs and held operational and command positions at the Coast Guard's Marine Safety Offices in Portland, Maine and Boston, Massachusetts. At Verrill Dana, Ray has worked on transactions involving marine terminal facilities, vessel financing and other marine-related matters.

International

As a member of the firm’s International Trades & Transactions Practice Group, Ray provides transactional advice to foreign as well as domestic clients. He is fluent in Russian, and has spent considerable time in Russia and other Eastern European countries. He is engaged in a variety of professional and civic activities involving the Russian Federation.

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Attorney Case History

Timberlands Transactions

Handled complex purchase and sale transactions over two years for one client, involving nearly 200,000 acres of timberlands, estimated $100 Million project value. Closing the transactions was highly important for Company's corporate strategy and balance sheet. Necessitated negotiating and resolving difficult issues with sophisticated opposing counsel.

Timberlands Reorganization

Handled the real estate work associated with a complex transfer of timberland assets to wholly owned subsidiary, a $130 Million project. Transaction required sensitivity to a wide range of issues triggered by the transfer of large acreage over many townships.

Telecommunications Site Acquision

Served as Maine counsel for large wireless telecommunications company in acquisition and build out over several years of 200 + telecommunications sites. In addition, extensive leasing, title and zoning work relating to reconfiguration on expedited basis of approximately 60 legacy sites and over 100 existing sites in connection with client's acquisition of a competing wireless telecommunications provider. Work required unusual responsiveness, efficiency and understanding of corporate sensitivity to range of issues .

Acquisition of Supermarket Chains

Served as inhouse Real Estate Counsel for supermarket chain during its acquisition of two southern chains. These transactions resulted in significant growth for the company, and positioned the company for international acquisition. The transactions were large and complex, and required the resolution of a number of real estate issues.

Timberlands Partition

Represented client in complex multi-party partition and exchange of fractional interests involving approximately two dozen townships containing over 250,000 acres of timberland in Maine, total estimated value approximately $98 Million. The successful closing of the transaction allowed the client to increase the value of its property. The matter required highly specialized knowledge and experience in dealing with large tracts of highly fractionalized ownership interests.

Telecommunications Development

Assisted major telecommunications company in legal work associated with extending fiber optic capacity and fourth generation wireless communications at hundreds of sites in New England. This project was highly visible and important to the company since it had been widely publicized. Successful conclusion positioned client as the preeminent provider of these services.